Valor‘s Matt Barr Talks Going ‘Psycho’ in Tree Hill, Plus Memorable Roles From Sleepy Hollow to Harper’s Island
In some ways, Matt Barr has been preparing for his current role — Captain Leland Gallo on The CW‘s Valor — ever since he first stepped foot on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in 2004.
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That’s when his career as a Los Angeles actor began, with a guest spot on ER. He’s taken on a number of different roles in the years since, from a murderous “psycho” on The WB/CW’s One Tree Hill to a person of interest on CBS’ short-lived murder mystery Harper’s Island, the latter of which helped him get used to being on a show shrouded in secrecy.
“A lot has been unraveled as we approach the climax of the season,” Barr says of Valor, which airs Mondays at 9/8c. “Certain things have been laid on the table, but there’s also a lot I still don’t know, so it’s fun to read the scripts each week and experience it like the audience does. … I like to take the twists as they come, experience it all in real time. But it’s also a catch-22; the more secrets you know, the more you can layer that into the overall arc of your character.”
Another challenge is the sheer physicality of the role, which he admits he didn’t completely expect.
“I didn’t think pilots would have to be in such great shape, but they do,” he says. “Because of the hydraulics in the helicopter, you really have to muscle that thing. And with the endurance it takes to go on a long mission, you need the stamina. The cast actually got together early on and organically started doing these group workouts. It was sort of our own bootcamp, which brought us together as a team.”
Browse our gallery of some of Barr’s most memorable TV roles — you can click here for direct access — then drop a comment with your own memories below.
Hellcats was an awesome show, very underrated. Same with Harper’s Island, he’s right in that it really was ahead of its time. Great concept and it was executed very well. I miss those shows!
Agreed. Matt was a standout on both. Harper’s Island would fit right in with as a horror anthology franchise if it was launched now. Hellcats was another that should’ve gotten at least four seasons.
still don’t know how he gets away with the hair and facial hair…unrealistic
They address this on the show. Special Forces have laxer grooming standards. It helps them blend in.
His commander in the pilot episode tells him he needs to shave as he isn’t on leave anymore, so he half shaved and it’s never been brought up since. I’m not complaining, he rocks that look quite well.
you are right…he was told to shave
Not to mention suspiciously well-tailored military uniforms.
Psycho Derek! I still get the case of the giggles when I watch it. OTH was my show. Well, high school S1-S4. I own S1-S7 on DVD but I barely watch the post high school years and I stopped watching live after S4. But I did watch the series finale live.
matt barr is one of those actors who pops up on a lot of shows you watch, and makes you go ‘hey i wish he would get a bigger chance to show how good he is’. he’s always be ian banks to me, though he might not be too happy about that lol. that was just a really great role where he really got to go all the way. as an actor, i imagine that must’ve been quite a challenge.
I really like Matt Barr but Valor isn’t very good. He’s really the only reason why I haven’t dumped it.
can’t stand the CIA gal…talk about a bad choice
Yeah, the show is weak, that’s for sure.
He’ll always be Psycho Derek but I really did enjoy Hellcats and Harper’s Island as well!
I still contend that Harper’s Island was really under appreciated.
Matt Barr also played Johnse Hatfield in the “Hatfields & McCoy” miniseries on the History Channel a few years ago!
I’m the rare person who actually liked him on Sleepy Hollow. Wished the writers would’ve had better idea what to do with him. Suddenly he was in love with Jenny and it felt out of nowhere
Yeah… I still want to punch him for Hatfields & McCoys :)
Loved him on both Sleepy Hollow and Harper’s Island.
I agree with Dominque and I’m glad he’s been given a chance to shine but I’m not a fan of this show though.
Hope it’s a hit for him or that it doesn’t end up hurting him going forward.
TV Guide should really clarify that “short lived Harper’s Island” statement – it was a mini-series or limited series so it was on for the full amount of episodes and was never meant to go beyond that or to a second season it wasn’t just a “short lived” series.
That said – it’s nice that Matt is getting more recognition; I liked him in Sleepy Hollow and he deserves more work.
He needs a haircut. I was in the Navy and we weren’t even allowed to leave the ship if we didn’t have a proper military haircut. Is the Army really that lax about grooming? I sort of like the show but his scruffiness, especially for an officer, sort of takes me out of it.